Laryngoscope blade

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of a laryngoscope blade for being removable mounted to a laryngoscope handle. In some embodiments, the laryngoscope blade may include a blade portion including a proximal end and a distal end provided with an optic window; a base portion including two base halves mounted to each other and to the proximal end of the blade portion such that the proximal end of the blade portion is located between each base half; and an optic light pipe including a proximal end disposed between the two base halves and a distal end extending through the optic window.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/573,190, U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,598, filed Oct. 5, 2009, entitled“Laryngoscope Blade,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/726,689, U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,459, filed Mar. 22, 2007,entitled “Laryngoscope Blade.” These patents are incorporated byreference in their entirety herein.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to a laryngoscope blade and moreparticularly relates to a disposable laryngoscope blade particularlyuseful with laryngoscope handles commonly referred to as FiberIlluminated System or Green System Handles. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a disposable laryngoscope blade of a reduced numberof component parts with attendant reduced assembly and manufacturingcosts.

Laryngoscope blades are known to the art for examining and visualizing apatient's upper airway and for aiding in placement of an endotrachealtube during intubations. For example, an endotracheal tube is insertedinto a patient's trachea to supply oxygen to the patient during asurgical procedure. Generally, a patient's trachea, or wind pipe, iscovered by the tongue and the epiglottis which is attached to the baseof the tongue at the back of the patient's mouth. For access to thetrachea and insertion of the endotracheal tube, the tongue andepiglottis must be lifted to expose the trachea for endotracheal tubeinsertion. The typical laryngoscope used for this procedure includes alaryngoscope blade mounted to a laryngoscope handle. The laryngoscopeblade is inserted under the patient's tongue and upon appropriatemovement of the laryngoscope handle the laryngoscope blade lifts thepatient's tongue and epiglottis exposing the trachea. Further typically,the laryngoscope blade is provided with an inclined slot which mounts toa hinge pin provided at the upper end of the laryngoscope handle andabout which hinge pin the laryngoscope blade pivots to latch into anoperating position at the upper end of the laryngoscope handle. As thelaryngoscope blade pivots into the operating position, and is lockedtherein by suitable detents, the laryngoscope blade engages a switchmember which closes an energization circuit in the laryngoscope handlecausing a light source in the handle to emit light which is transmittedto and through an optic light pipe mounted on the laryngoscope blade toprovide light to the end of the laryngoscope blade and to illuminate apatient's exposed trachea to facilitate visualization and insertion ofthe endotracheal tube into the trachea.

A laryngoscope blade of the type noted above is disclosed in the U.S.Pat. No. 7,128,710 B1, patented Oct. 31, 2006, entitled DISPOSABLELARYNGOSCOPE BLADES, George D. Granton, et al., inventors; this patentis hereby incorporated herein by reference as if fully reproducedherein. The disclosed laryngoscope blade, as will be noted from FIGS.1-3 of this patent includes nine separate parts, namely, the blade 26,the heel portion 28, the light rod 34, ball poppets 46, 48 and 42 eachof which poppet includes a ball and a springs for a total of the ninecomponent parts. These component parts, particularly the poppetsincluding the balls and springs, require considerable manual laborassembly with attendant unwanted assembly costs and expense.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new and improvedlaryngoscope blade.

Further, there is a need in the art for a laryngoscope blade of areduced number of parts and with attendant reduced assemblymanufacturing costs which permit the blade to be made and sold at aprice attractive and reasonable for a single use or disposable blade.

SUMMARY

It is the object of the present invention to satisfy the foregoing needsin the laryngoscope blade art.

A laryngoscope blade satisfying such need and embodying the presentinvention may include a laryngoscope blade comprising a blade portion, abase portion and an optic light pipe, the blade portion including aproximal end and a distal end provided with an optic window, the baseportion including two base halves mounted to each other and to theproximal end of the blade portion, one of the base halves providing aresilient cantilever latch pin and the other of the base halvesproviding a rigid hook, the light pipe including a proximal end mountedbetween the two base halves and a distal end extending through the opticwindow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top view of the laryngoscope handle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 1B is a diagrammatical illustration of the upper end of thelaryngoscope handle of FIG. 1, with portions being broken away, toillustrate opposed locking slots or detents to assist in locking thelaryngoscope blade into the operating or on position at the upper end ofthe laryngoscope handle;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the laryngoscope blade of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a separate view of the optic light pipe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the outside surface of one base half comprising thebase portion of the laryngoscope blade of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of the left edge of the base half of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the inner surface of the base half of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view taken from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view taken from FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is a view of the outer surface of the other base half comprisingthe base portion of the laryngoscope blade of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view of the inner surface of the base half shown of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view taken from FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a separate view of the laryngoscope blade shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a separate view of the blade portion of the laryngoscopeblade of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the blade portion shown in FIG.13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view taken from FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a view illustrating the force or load on the laryngoscopeblade of the present invention during the lifting of a person's tongueand epiglottis;

FIG. 16A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG. 16;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the upper portion of the laryngoscope handlewith portions broken away to show the diameter of the hinge pin;

FIG. 18 is the base half of FIG. 8 reproduced to show the width of theinclined slot provided by the resilient cantilever latch pin; and

FIG. 19 is the base half of FIG. 3 reproduced to show the width of theinclined slot provided by the rigid hook.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the laryngoscope blade of the present invention isshown in FIG, 1 and indicated by general numerical designation 10, andas indicated by the irregular line 11, is for being mounted removably tothe laryngoscope handle indicated by general numerical designation 12 inFIG. 1. The laryngoscope blade 10 includes a blade portion indicated bygeneral numerical designation 14, a base portion indicted by generalnumerical designation 16 and an optic light pipe 18. The laryngoscopehandle 12 may be any suitable laryngoscope handle known to the art andmay be, for example, a laryngoscope handle of the type commonly referredto as Fiber Illuminated System or Green System Handles and, by way offurther example, may be the laryngoscope handle available from VitalSigns, Inc., 20 Campus Road, Totowa, N.J., and sold under the trademarkGreenlight It Solely for purposes of illustration of the use of thelaryngoscope blade 10 of the present invention, it will be assumed thatthe laryngoscope handle 12 of FIG. 1 is the Greenlight II laryngoscopehandle, model number 4558GSP, available from Vital Signs, Inc.Accordingly, it will be understood that the laryngoscope handle 12includes an upper end 12A including a hinge pin 12B and a depressiblecylindrical switch element 12C, note FIG. 1A. Referring further to FIG.1, the laryngoscope blade 10 is mounted removably, as described indetail below, to the handle 12 by hooking or latching the laryngoscopeblade base 16 to the hinge pin 12 which is received within the inclinedopening 17 provided in the base 16. Upon the hinge pin 128 beingreceived within the inclined opening 17 the laryngoscope blade 10 ispivoted into engagement with the upper end 12A of the laryngoscopehandle 12 and locked into the operating or on position by engagement ofthe resilient ball detent 23 provided on the base portion 16 with thelocking slot or detent 12F (FIG. 18) provided at the upper end 12A ofthe handle 12. Generally, as the laryngoscope blade 10 is pivoted aboutthe hinge pin 12B into the operating position, the base 16 of thelaryngoscope blade 10 engages and depresses the circular depressibleswitch element 12C which then closes an energization circuit (not shown)in the handle 12 to illuminate a light source (not shown) in the handlewhich emits light which is transmitted through the circular switchelement 12C and to and through the optic light pipe 18 to the distal end19 of the laryngoscope blade to illuminate the opening to a patient'strachea.

Referring further generally to the laryngoscope blade 10 shown in FIGS.1 and 2, the blade portion 14 is made or formed from a suitable blank of304 stainless steel using progressive dies of the type known to the artfor stainless steel forming. The base portion 16, FIG. 1 is comprised oftwo base halves as shown in FIG. 2, one base half is indicated bygeneral numerical designation 20 and the other base half is indicated bygeneral numerical designation 30. The base halves are made ofultrasonically weldable material and are ultrasonically welded togetherby suitable ultrasonic welding apparatus to mount the base halves toeach other and to the proximal end 15, FIG. 1, of the blade portion 14.Further generally, it will be understood that in accordance to thepresent invention, the base half 20 is made of a more rigid materialthan the material of which the base half 30 is made and conversely, thatthe base half 30 is made of a more resilient material than the materialof which the base half 20 is made. In the preferred embodiment, the basehalf 20 was made of relatively rigid glass-filled or glass reinforcednylon and the base half 30 was made of relatively resilientun-reinforced nylon; these materials are known ultrasonically weldablematerials.

Referring to FIGS, 3-7, and to the detailed structure of the base half20, the base half 20, made of such glass-filled nylon, includes a rigidhook 21 providing an inclined opening 22, a cantilever ball detent 23surrounded by a generally U-shaped opening 24 extending through the basehalf 20, and a curved optic cover 25. Referring to FIG. 5, and to theinner surface of the base half 20, the base half 20 is provided withinwardly extending alignment sockets 27 a and 27 b, inwardly extendingtang sockets 28 a and 28 b, inwardly extending weld sockets 29 a and 29b and an inwardly extending contoured optic channel 20 a.

Referring to the detailed structure of the base half 30, and to FIGS.8-10, the base half 30, made of such un-reinforced nylon, includes aresilient cantilever latch pin 31 providing an inclined opening 32 and,as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the inner surface of the base half 30 isprovided with a pair of outwardly extending alignment and weld pins 33 aand 33 b, outwardly extending weld ribs 34 a and 34 b and an outwardlyextending member 36 providing an inwardly extending semi-circularstraight optic channel 38.

The blade portion 14 of the laryngoscope blade 10 is shown in detail inFIGS. 12-15 with FIG. 11 being the same showing of the laryngoscopeblade 10 of the present invention shown at the top of FIG. 1 but shownagain for convenience of reference. Referring specifically to FIGS.12-15, the metal blade portion 14 includes a medial wall 40 in which anoptic window 41 is formed and in which a pair of blade portionattachment thru holes 42 a and 42 b are formed, The proximal end 15 ofthe metal blade portion 14 is provided with a pair of perpendicularly,outwardly extending mode distribution and mounting tangs 43 a and 43 b.As best shown in FIG. 15, the metal blade portion 14 includes a flange44 extending outwardly perpendicularly from the medial portion 40 andwhich provides the distal end 19 of the laryngoscope blade 10 and which,as will be understood from FIG. 15, provides a tongue engagement surface45 which provides the distal end 19 of the laryngoscope blade 10 ofFIG. 1. It will be further understood from FIG. 15, that the distalportion of the flange 44 is spoon-shaped to reduce the possibility oftrauma to the patient's oral cavity from the intubation process upon thelaryngoscope blade 10 of the present invention being utilized to insertan endotracheal tube into a patient's trachea.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the optic light pipe 18 includes a contouredproximal portion 50 which includes a straight proximal end portion 52and a curved distally adjacent portion 54. The contoured optic channel20 a, FIG. 5, formed in the base half 20 is complimentary in shape toand for receiving the outer side, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the contouredproximal end portion 50 of the optic light pipe 18. Similarly, thestraight optic channel 38, FIG. 10, of the base at 30, is complimentaryin shape to and for receiving the inner side, as viewed in FIG. 2, ofthe straight proximal end section 52 of the optic light pipe 18.

In assembly, and prior to ultrasonic welding, and referring primarily toFIG. 2, the outer side of the contoured proximal portion 50 (FIG. 2A) ofthe light pipe 18 is inserted into the contoured optic channel 20 a(FIG. 5) of the base half 20, the distal end 55 of the optic light pipe18 is inserted through the optic window 41 formed in the blade portion14 and the tangs 43 a and 43 b of the blade portion 14 are inserted intothe tang sockets 28 a and 28 b (FIG. 5) provided in the base half 20,the alignment and ultrasonic weld pins 33 a and 33 b provided on thebase half 30 are inserted through the thru holes 42 a and 42 b formed inthe proximal end 15 of the blade portion 15 and into the weld sockets 27a and 27 b (FIG. 5) formed in the base half 30, and the weld ribs 34 aand 34 b formed on the base half 30 are inserted on to the weld sockets29 a and 29 b (FIG. 5) formed in the base half 20. In this process theinner half, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the straight distal end 52 (FIG. 2A)of the optic light pipe 18 is received in the straight optic channel 38formed in the base half 30. Thereafter, the base halves 20 and 30 areultrasonically welded to each other thereby mounting the base half toeach other and to the distal end 15 of the metal blade portion 14 whichis captured between the ultrasonically welded base halves. Insertion ofthe alignment and weld pins 33 a and 33 b formed on the base half 30into the weld sockets 27 a and 27 b formed in the base half 20, and theinsertion of the weld ribs 34 a and 34 b formed on the base half 30 intothe weld sockets 29 a and 29 b formed in the base half 20, align thebase halves and the distal end of the blade portion 14 with respect toeach other and facilitate ultrasonic welding together of the basehalves.

From FIGS. 1, 2 and 11 it will be understood that the curved optic cover25 of the base half 20 covers the proximal end of the optic light pipe18 on three sides, the outer three sides as viewed in FIG. 2, and thatthe medial wall 40 of the blade portion 14 covers the fourth or innerside, as viewed in FIG. 2, of the proximal end of the optic light pipeand hence upon light being transmitted through the optic light pipe 18to its distal end 55 to illuminate a patient's trachea, the coverage ofthe distal end of the optic light pipe 18 by the optic cover 25 and themedial wall 40 of the blade portion prevents light from entering, andpossibly at least partially blinding, the eyes of the laryngoscope blade10 user during the patient intubation process.

Referring again to FIG. 1 and to the removable mounting of thelaryngoscope blade 10 to the upper end 12 a of the laryngoscope handle12, it will be understood that it is the resilient cantilever latch pin31, FIGS. 8-10, that wedgedly engages and removably mounts thelaryngoscope blade 10 to the hinge pin 12 b and thereby to thelaryngoscope handle 12 while still permitting pivoting movementtherebetween, and that it is the rigid hook 21, FIGS. 3-7, of the basehalf 20 that loosely engages the hinge pin 12 b and withstands the loador force applied to the laryngoscope blade 10 when it engages and liftsup the tongue and epiglottis of a patient to expose the patient'strachea for intubation More particularly, and referring to FIGS. 17-19,the diameter of the hinge pin 12B at the upper end of the handle 12(FIG. 17) is 4.5 mm, and in the preferred embodiment for the resilientcantilever latch pin 31 (FIG. 18) to wedgedly and removably mount thelaryngoscope blade 10 to the handle 12, the width W1 of the inclinedslot 32 provided by the resilient cantilever latch pin 31 is 4.0 mm, 0.5mm smaller that the diameter of the hinge pin 128, and as shown in FIG.19, the width W2 of the inclined slot 22 provided by the rigid hook 21is 4.7 mm, 0.2 mm larger than the diameter of the hinge pin 12B, whichdifference causes the rigid hook 21 to loosely engage the hinge pin 126so as not to inhibit pivoting movement between the blade 10 and handle12 and yet permit the rigid hook 21 to engage the hinge pin 12B andwithstand the force and load noted above.

With further regard to the above-noted load and force exerted on thelaryngoscope blade 10 during use, this loading and force is illustratedin FIGS. 16 and 16A. For insertion of an endotracheal tube (not shown)into the trachea of the patient, the laryngoscope blade 10 (FIG. 16) isinserted under the patient's tongue with the distal end 19 engaging theangled area at which the epiglottis is formed at the back of the tongue,and upon the laryngoscope user, such as a physician, rotating thelaryngoscope handle 12 in the direction indicated by the curved arrow60, the laryngoscope blade 10 lifts the tongue and epiglottis of thepatient to expose the trachea for the intubation process. In this tongueand epiglottis lifting procedure, the tongue exerts a force, a reactionforce, F1 on the laryngoscope blade 10 and a force, a reaction force F2(better seen in FIG. 16A) is applied to the base 16 of the laryngoscopeblade 10. It will be understood that it is the rigid hook 21 formed onthe base half 20 that withstands the forces F1 and F2 and withstands theload applied to the laryngoscope blade 10 by such forces.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of the preferredembodiment of the present invention is merely illustrative thereof andthat many variations and modifications may be made in the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

1. A laryngoscope blade, comprising: a blade portion having a proximal end and an arcuate distal end, the proximal end of the blade portion having a contoured optic channel, the distal end of the blade portion having an optic window; a first base half coupled to a second base half such that the proximal end is bet en the first and second base halves; and an optic light pipe having a contoured proximal end and a distal end, the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the contoured optic channel, the distal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the optic window.
 2. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1,, wherein the first base half comprises a rigid hook defining an inclined opening.
 3. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein the first base half comprises a cantilever ball detent.
 4. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein the first base half comprises a curved optic cover configured to cover the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe on three sides.
 5. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein the first base half comprises a plurality of inwardly extending sockets.
 6. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein the second base half comprises a resilient cantilever latch pin defining an inclined opening.
 7. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein he second base half comprises a plurality of outwardly extending pins.
 8. The laryngoscope blade of claim wherein the blade portion comprises a medial wall.
 9. The laryngoscope blade of claim 8, wherein the optic window is formed in the medial wall.
 10. The laryngoscope blade of claim 8, wherein the blade portion comprises an attachment hole in the medial wall.
 11. The laryngoscope blade of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the blade portion comprises a mounting tang.
 12. A laryngoscope blade, comprising: a blade portion having a proximal end and an arcuate distal end, the proximal end of the blade portion having a contoured optic channel, the distal end of the blade portion having an optic window: a first base half coupled to a second base half such that the proximal end is between inner facing surfaces of the first and second base halves, the second base half defining a straight optic channel; and an optic light pipe having a contoured proximal end and a distal end, the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the contoured optic channel, the distal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the optic window, the optic light pipe configured to fit between the inner facing surfaces of the first and second base halves and in the straight optic channel.
 13. The laryngoscope blade of claim 12, wherein the first base half comprises a rigid hook defining an inclined opening.
 14. The laryngoscope blade of claim 12, wherein the first base half comprises a cantilever ball decent.
 15. The laryngoscope blade of claim
 12. wherein the first base half comprises a curved optic cover configured to cover the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe on three sides.
 16. The laryngoscope blade of claim 12, wherein the second base half comprises a resilient cantilever latch pin defining an inclined opening.
 17. The laryngoscope blade of claim 16, wherein the optic window is formed in a medial wall of the blade portion.
 18. A laryngoscope blade, comprising: a blade portion having a flange extending from a medial wall, a proximal end, and an arcuate distal end, the proximal end of the blade portion having a contoured optic channel, the distal end of the blade portion having an optic window; a first base half coupled to a second base half such that the proximal end is between the first and second base halves, the first base half including an optic cover; and an optic light pipe having a contoured proximal end and a distal end, the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the contoured optic channel, the distal end of the optic light pipe configured to fit in the optic window, wherein the optic cover covers the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe on three sides and the medial wall covers a fourth side of the contoured proximal end of the optic light pipe.
 19. The laryngoscope blade of claim 18, wherein the first base half is made of a rigid material.
 20. The laryngoscope blade of claim 18, wherein the second base half is made of a resilient material. 